Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Classic and popular Japanese songs.
We’ve put together a collection of love songs that were hits in the 2000s.
When you think of hit songs from the 2000s, what tracks come to mind?
For those who spent their youth in that era, you might recall so many classics that it’s hard to choose just one.
This isn’t a list of every song that charted between 2000 and 2009, but we’re highlighting beloved love songs that almost everyone has heard at least once—timeless favorites that are still cherished as staples of romance today.
If you’re feeling nostalgic for those days, be sure to give them a listen!
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Love songs that were hits in the 2000s. Japanese classics and popular tracks (61–70)
sign; mark; symbol; omenMr.Children
This is a signature ballad by Mr.Children, featuring an inspiring ensemble that unfolds from a quiet piano melody into grand strings.
Its universal lyrics can be heard as either a song of meeting or parting, gently accompanying each listener’s personal story.
Released in November 2006, it was used as the theme song for the drama “14-Year-Old Mother,” which became a social phenomenon.
Many were surely moved by its melody and Sakurai’s passionate vocals.
With total sales exceeding 740,000 copies, it’s truly a love song that symbolizes the 2000s, reminding us of the bonds we share with those we hold dear.
LALALA feat. Wakadanna (Shonan no Kaze)Kato Miria
This is one of Miliyah Kato’s signature songs, a moving collaboration between two artists active in the J-pop scene.
Featuring Wakadanna from Shonan no Kaze and arranged by MINMI, it’s a luxurious team-up.
Over a warm, embracing sound, the song expresses deep affection for an irreplaceable presence.
In fact, the lyrics were written for her beloved dog.
That personal love gently illuminates listeners’ own feelings for someone precious in their hearts.
Released in October 2007, it became a milestone as her first entry into the Oricon Weekly Top 10.
It’s also included on the acclaimed album “TOKYO STAR.” A gentle, heartwarming track that stays close to you when you’re thinking of someone dear.
Sayonara, baby.Kato Miria
This is a bittersweet love song about a heart swaying between true feelings and outward appearances.
She wants to believe his words, yet deep down she doubts them, and still can’t bring herself to end things… You can sense her wavering emotions in the chorus’s back-and-forth between the man and woman.
The track is a work by singer-songwriter Miliyah Kato, released in September 2008 as her 13th single.
Its arrangement is striking, unfolding from a wistful piano intro into a danceable four-on-the-floor sound.
The song is also included on the acclaimed album “Ring.” When you’re unsure of the other person’s feelings and don’t know what to do, listening to this might resonate with your complicated state of mind.
Close your eyesHirai Ken
Singer-songwriter Ken Hirai captivates listeners with his deep, resonant voice.
This work poignantly yet purely sings of love—bearing the sense of loss after losing a loved one, yet being able to meet them in your heart whenever you close your eyes.
The lingering traces of absence in everyday life intersect with warm memories of the past, evoking a tightness in the chest.
Released in April 2004 as his 20th single, the song was written as the theme for the film “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World” and became a million-selling smash hit.
It is a gem of a ballad that stirs the heart—perfect for nights when you want to immerse yourself in memories of someone precious or quietly let the tears fall.
Bud of LoveKōda Kumi
It’s a love song that was also the theme for the drama “Busu no Hitomi ni Koishiteru” (“In Love With a Plain Girl”).
It’s striking how it starts with the very Kumi Koda-esque line, “I’m crazy about you,” and that straightforwardness lets the song’s charm come through honestly and effortlessly.